After nearly 50 years, Avoyelles schools declared unitary

Allen Holmes applauds the declaration of desegregation unitary status achieved by the Avoyelles Parish School Board. Holmes joined the district’s desegregation case as an intervenor in 1987. The case originated in 1967. The school board held a special meeting Friday to sign the decree and make the announcement.(Photo: Melinda Martinez/The Town Talk)

MARKSVILLE – The Avoyelles Parish School District has been declared unitary, or desegregated in all schools, after an almost 50-year process.

It began when a desegregation case was filed in 1967 and picked up steam again when a student assignment issues were brought forth by an intervenor in 1987.

The school district’s most recent push toward unitary status began in 2008 when district officials developed a plan to realign its schools and filed for approval from U.S. District Judge Dee Drell in Alexandria. Drell told then-Superintendent Dwayne Lemoine and board members to hire an expert to help the district meet six areas called Green factors.

On Thursday Drell orally approved a consent order signed by all parties at a special board meeting Friday, Avoyelles District Attorney Charles Riddle III said. He said Drell likely will issue an opinion to ratify the decree next week. Riddle has been working on this case for 13 years.

The decree declares the district unitary but keeps the case open and under the jurisdiction of the federal court for three years. The district may file a motion to dismiss the case after June 1, 2018.

In the meantime, Superintendent Blaine Dauzat and board members must report annually to the court its progress on efforts already in place to meet Green factors like facilities and student assignment.

“You’ve got my pledge, and I know you have the pledge of the board and ... of the staff, that we are going to ensure there is no risk of us going back into this case,” Dauzat said.

That means maintaining efforts to desegregate schools with disproportionate racial makeup of the student population. Currently those are Lafargue Elementary and Bunkie Elementary Learning Academy.

The Louisiana School for the Agricultural Sciences (LaSAS) is “close,” Riddle said, as its minority-to-majority ratio is at 30 percent. He said it increases slightly each year.

Lemoine said he was told when hired eight years ago that achieving unitary status would be a top priority. He said it framed his work, highlighting needs across the district. He said it wasn’t easy.

“But those obstacles helped us become a better school district,” said Lemoine, who retired as superintendent in December. “This is a momentous day. I’m just proud to still be a little part of it.”

Allen Holmes, who joined the case as an intervenor in the last 1980s, was among those applauding the announcement Friday.

“It’s been about 30-some years,” Holmes said. “This board has been a dynamic board. One thing we knew we had to work toward this thing. ... We worked for one goal — the kids in Avoyelles Parish. It was never about black, white. It was about education.”

Many on the board and in the district have been involved with the case for years and commented joyfully about moving forward.